Fluid flow components are provided with ports to permit interconnecting one port to another to form a fluid flow system that will meet a specific requirement. These ports are generally of two types, namely, an internally threaded port or a flange port. Ports are most universally considered to be the female portion of the connection.
There are numerous internally threaded and flange port standards employed around the world, such as the SAE standard used in the United States. However, almost all of these standards have their origin as pipe connections and they are used to set forth the size requirements for connecting a pipe to a fluid flow component and/or for connecting two pipes or two fluid flow components together.
Flange ports can have a significant advantage over their internally threaded port counterparts if their male fluid flow connection portion is a flush connection to the female flange port. Currently, one of the preferred flange connections employs an O-ring that, when assembled, is totally captive in a groove on the sealing face of the flange. This ensures a positive face seal over all pressure ranges, including vacuum conditions. The flat face seal feature found in this and many other flange port systems permits one to slip a component in and out without disturbing the adjacent piping. Stress-free plumbing alignment is also much easier since it is unnecessary to spring the pipeline during make-up or take-out.
It is not uncommon to find that some fluid flow components are supplied with either a flange port or an internally threaded port. In many cases, a component will cost significantly more when it is supplied with a flange port. Although a component may be available with either a flange port or an internally threaded port, it is more costly for a supplier to carry twice the inventory for the same component function. At the present time, in most cases, the manufacturer provides both a threaded port and a flange port, i.e., two different components, for a particular size in order to ensure that the O-ring of the flange port will be maintained in a captive condition to ensure a positive face seal. In some cases, the manufacturer provides a threaded port of a smaller size than the flange port so that the O-ring on the face of the cooperating flange head of the male half of the connection is maintained in a captive condition.
It is the general object of the invention to provide a combination fluid flow port which can be used as both a full size threaded port and a full size flange port. To this end, the invention teaches how threaded ports can be modified to permit the use of either flange or threaded connectors in the plumbing of a component into a fluid flow system. This is achieved in a manner that permits a threaded port to be adapted in a simple manner when connected to a flange or flange port connection and such that a size-on-size connection can be made. In other words, whether the port is connected to an externally threaded male half or with a flange type male half, a full size port for said male half is utilized. Thus, there is no need to use two ports, with the threaded port being of a smaller size than the flange port, as is done on the prior art.
Briefly stated, the combination fluid flow port in accordance with the invention is adapted for use in a fluid flow connection of the type having a male half including a flanged head having a sealing face provided with an O-ring received in a groove therein and a flange clamp for securing the flanged head in sealing contact with the mating face of a port to which said male half is connected. The combination port in accordance with the invention comprises a body providing a mating face and having a hole extending inwardly from said mating face of said port body, said hole having a counterbore or end hole portion formed at the outermost end thereof adjacent the mating face of the port body and further including an annular ring constructed and arranged to fit closely within the counterbore and provide a face aligned with and extending radially inwardly from the mating face of the port body. The inner diameter of the annular ring is less than the inner diameter of the groove receiving the O-ring of the cooperating flanged head of the fluid flow connection whereby said O-ring is held captive by a mating face of said port in the connected position of the male half and said port. The hole in the port body is threaded in the portion thereof extending inwardly from said counterbore so as to receive a threaded male member.